MuskokaAircraft
Team Lead (Rank 2)
For the love of everything good, get a pre-buy done before you purchase your next aircraft!
As an AME, I have been on both sides of the fence. One where I missed something and had to deal with that outcome. One where a pre-buy was not done, and now larger issues have been found. It's not just about changing the oil and tires and making the plane new again; it's about what can creep up on you over time. A camshaft, lifter and transfer tube replacement on your average 6-cylinder engine is approximately $25000. If more issues are found, it only increases from there.
Parts for older, more popular GA aircraft are becoming harder to find, and buying new isn't on people's minds, making parts procurement a logistics nightmare.
Then there's the hangar King/Queen scenario. Clients are delayed on payments, and shops don't want to rack up the overhead and debt, so the situation becomes a Client/AMO stand-off.
Maybe you want to be happy with your aircraft and not have to wait 6 months to a year repairing/replacing parts, doing the applicable ADs, and upgrades (ie, 406 ELT). Perhaps you are looking for a project aircraft and are willing to take the time and spend the money to get it done. That choice would be made easier by getting a pre-buy inspection done and understanding the risk you may be undertaking.
Pre-buys could also give you an edge on negotiating a better deal for the airplane or getting a more accurate appraisal. They also give you the chance to walk away with little damage done to your finances. You can be happy with your investment, or live to fight another day! To me, those are key reasons to get proper pre-buy inspections done.
Happy Flying and Fixing!
As an AME, I have been on both sides of the fence. One where I missed something and had to deal with that outcome. One where a pre-buy was not done, and now larger issues have been found. It's not just about changing the oil and tires and making the plane new again; it's about what can creep up on you over time. A camshaft, lifter and transfer tube replacement on your average 6-cylinder engine is approximately $25000. If more issues are found, it only increases from there.
Parts for older, more popular GA aircraft are becoming harder to find, and buying new isn't on people's minds, making parts procurement a logistics nightmare.
Then there's the hangar King/Queen scenario. Clients are delayed on payments, and shops don't want to rack up the overhead and debt, so the situation becomes a Client/AMO stand-off.
Maybe you want to be happy with your aircraft and not have to wait 6 months to a year repairing/replacing parts, doing the applicable ADs, and upgrades (ie, 406 ELT). Perhaps you are looking for a project aircraft and are willing to take the time and spend the money to get it done. That choice would be made easier by getting a pre-buy inspection done and understanding the risk you may be undertaking.
Pre-buys could also give you an edge on negotiating a better deal for the airplane or getting a more accurate appraisal. They also give you the chance to walk away with little damage done to your finances. You can be happy with your investment, or live to fight another day! To me, those are key reasons to get proper pre-buy inspections done.
Happy Flying and Fixing!
